Sweetwater Springs Scrooge: A Montana Sky Holiday Short Story (The Montana Sky Series) by Debra Holland

her.
    Leaning against his shoulder, Marian sniffed back her tears and fished a handkerchief from her sleeve. She mopped her eyes and blew her nose. “I must look a fright.”
    “Yes,” Elias said playfully. “I’m about to run from you in horror.” His arms tightened around her back.
    She wrinkled her nose and realized they were standing in a compromising position. Good thing the program was still going on, or surely someone would have discovered us. I would die of embarrassment! Marian motioned toward two side-by-side wicker chairs.
    Elias released her, only to take hold of her hand and lead her to them. Hooking the leg of one chair with his foot, he dragged it closer to the other so he wouldn’t have to let her go. Still holding hands, they sat down, gazing into each other’s eyes.
    Marian inhaled the scent of pine and then asked the question she’d been wondering for so many years. “Why, Elias? Why did you turn away from the world? Deny yourself companionship and pleasure?”
    “I guess…I was punishing myself.”
    Marian tilted her head in askance.
    “When you ended our engagement, I told myself that it was for the best. Since I’d wanted a frugal life…indeed, I turned my back on you after we’d parted to have what I thought I wanted…” He gave a curt nod. “Then, by golly, I’d better live that miserable life to the very last squeezed penny.”
    “But why did you even want that kind of life?”
    “I’ve given that question a lot of thought lately…. The day he died of a heart attack, my father yelled at me for buying candy and a slingshot at the store without first asking permission. I thought it was my fault—”
    “He died because you bought the candy,” Marian finished for him and squeezed his hand. “Oh, Elias, if only you’d told me.”
    He hesitated. “I don’t think I would have held out long if you hadn’t married Harold so soon.”
    Guilt seized her. “You could have stopped me.”
    “Biggest mistake of my life,” Elias said with a wry quirk of his mouth. “I promise you, I’ve learned my lesson. Remember, even Ebenezer Scrooge changed at the end. And he didn’t have the incentive of pretty Marian Hutchinson Williams.”
    She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “I intend to remain in charge of my own money.”
    He grinned and squeezed her hand. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”
    Taken aback, Marian stared at him. Harold had left her comfortably provided for, and she’d have thought Elias would assume she was still a spendthrift and want to include her money with his own in order to manage their funds.
    “We’ll make a visit to Crenshaw and see a lawyer,” Elias said. “He can draw up documents so you legally keep your money and your house and any other assets you may have.”
    “That wouldn’t bother you?”
    “I wouldn’t have made the suggestion if it did.”
    She relaxed. “Such an arrangement would ease my mind.”
    “Will you be patient with me if I momentarily fall into bad habits?” His eyes shadowed with old pain. “Not…not leave?”
    She placed her palm over his heart, feeling the rapid beat under her fingers. “I promise.”
    Elias grinned. He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on her fingertips. “Then I’m satisfied.”
    ~ ~ ~
    When Elias halted Prancer at her home, the harness bells stilled, and the hush of the night descended.
    Marian turned to check on her grandson, snuggled under a striped Indian blanket, only to see the child had fallen asleep. “Noah,” she called softly, reaching over the seat to shake his knee. “Wake up.”
    The boy didn’t move.
    “Let me.” Elias grabbed the horse blanket from around their feet. He climbed down from the sleigh, flipped the reins over the hitching post, and flung the blanket over the horse, fastening the front buckle. Next, he walked to the back seat, leaned in, and scooped up Noah, blanket and all.
    Marian slid out from under the blanket on her side. She hurried around the